MUSTANGS CROWNED DISTRICT 22-5A CHAMPS

District championship titles have been commonplace in Kingwood High School spring sports this year, so why not add another one to the list.  The Varsity Baseball Team swept a pair of games from the Baytown Lee Ganders to close out their regular season and win the District 22-5A championship last Friday afternoon.  The Mustangs, who were picked to finish anywhere from second to fourth place in the district, proved the so-called experts wrong as they marched to a 12-3 district record to claim their second title in three years.  Kingwood overcame some late season adversity to take two must-win games from Baytown in the last week of the season.

The Mustangs blanked the Ganders 10-0 in their first meeting earlier in the season, but the rejuvenated Baytown team had won 8 out of 10 since then.  The second place Ganders were now playing Kingwood at Andy Wells Field for all the marbles as they entered the first contest of the week.  After two scoreless innings, the Mustangs hung a crooked number on the board in the third.  Kenneth Negron and Andrew Brooks drew consecutive walks to start the inning.  After two outs, Johnny Whittleman smashed a line-drive single to centerfield that was sure to score two runs, but got by the charging centerfielder and allowed Whittleman to circle the bases for a 3-0 lead.  Kingwood padded their lead in the fifth when Negron and Brooks teamed up again; this time they hit consecutive singles to start the inning.  After Negron was forced out at third on a Ryan Pope grounder, Whittleman walked to load the bases.  Kyle Porter then grounded to the shortstop, but in his haste to turn the double play, the second baseman dropped the relay throw allowing Porter to reach safely and the fourth run to score.   The bases were still full, but not for long.  With two out, Michael Hopper hit a line-shot double down the leftfield line to drive in three runs and give the Mustangs a 7-0 lead.  Baytown finally got something going in the seventh as they tallied two on a two-run homer, but it was two little two late.  Kingwood, who managed just five hits off of Baytown starter Chris Estrada in the 7-2 victory, was led by the bats of Hopper (1-2, 2B, sac bunt, 3 RBI) and Whittleman (1-2, 1B, BB, 2 RBI).  Matt Bardwell, Negron and Brooks each added singles in the win.  Blake Hancock turned in another outstanding performance on the mound to run his record to 8-0.  He held the Ganders to three hits, walked none and struck out nine in the complete game victory.  Hancock was also the beneficiary of a great defensive play in the sixth.  With two out, third baseman Johnny Whittleman dove and backhanded a ground ball rocketed down the third base line.  Then in one motion, he sprung to his feet and fired a strike to first base to nip the runner and end the inning.

The Mustangs were guaranteed at least a share of the district championship when they traveled to Baytown for their last regular season game.  But they were not in the sharing mood; they wanted the whole enchilada – not a side order of beans and rice. 

Kingwood sent their experienced ace, Justin O’Bannon to the hill while the Ganders countered with Barry Laird.  The Mustangs struck early when Whittleman reached base on a fielder’s choice, Porter walked and both advanced into scoring position on a wild pitch in the first inning.  With one out, Bardwell grounded to the shortstop who threw wildly to first base, allowing Whittleman and Porter to score.  Kingwood clung to the 2-0 lead until the third inning when Baytown tied the score 2-2 on a walk and a couple of base hits.  Down to their last nine outs, the Mustangs needed a base runner as they started the fifth inning.  They got it the hard way when pesky second baseman Gregg Gossett took a pitch off the helmet.  Pope followed with a sacrifice bunt that moved Gossett to second.  After a walk to Whittleman, Porter stepped to the plate.  Porter took the first pitch as Kingwood pulled off a double steal to place runners at second and third.  On the next pitch, Porter ripped a single up the middle to plate two runs and the Mustangs were back on top 4-2.  But the Ganders still showed some life as they scored a run in the bottom of the fifth courtesy of a walk and very untimely error by the Mustang first baseman.  Kingwood added an insurance run in the sixth as Negron reached on an infield hit and scored later on a perfect suicide squeeze bunt by Pope to run the score to 5-3.

O’Bannon sat Baytown down in order the last two innings and the Mustangs celebrated their district clinching win on Herrington Field.  O’Bannon went to 7-1 on the season with the gutsy complete game win.  He fanned seven, walked three and held the Ganders to three hits.  The offense was spurred by Porter (1-2, 1B, 2 BB, 2 RBI) and Pope (1-3, 1B, sac bunt, 1 RBI).  Negron and O’Bannon also contributed singles.  First baseman Kyle Porter turned in a couple of nice defensive plays.  The first batter of the game hit a check-swing looping line-drive between first and second base that he dove for and snagged in midair while the last batter of the game hit a towering foul pop-up well behind first base bag that he caught on the run.

Kingwood finished the regular season with a 22-5-1 record and gained a first round bye in Region III of the state playoffs by winning their district.  After a week off, the Mustangs will take on the winner of the Galveston Ball-Pearland series.